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iPhone Upgrade Program Causes Headaches on Launch Day Due to Limited Stock

thefarang said:
Which says to me that they didn't know it was a flawed process until it stuff hit the fan. Another confirmation that this was not a priority for Apple and nobody really thought it through.

So whatever solution they come up with is going to be half-baked. They're trying to respond on the fly and that likely means, deal with the immediate backlash, fix the problem going forward.

Likely solution is they tell people to call Apple (which it appears they've already done). They make best-efforts to get a phone in your hand as quickly as possible IF you call. If you don't call, if you aren't making a stink, they'll hope this goes away for now and they'll fix it before iPhone 8.

The problem is (and maybe this is what they're trying to figure out right now) they don't have any idea of the scope of the problem. Was it 1,000 people? 100,000 people? 1,000,000 people? Because they didn't allow you to complete the transaction, they don't know. They know how many people are in the IUP but how many people are they going to have to make happy since not everyone tried to upgrade?

And they have set processes and such in place which makes changing where phones are being sent to something that has to be coordinated at a fairly high level within Apple. Likewise, they're ordering system is designed to prevent people bumping their buddies up on the list so, they may not even have a way to insert IUP people ahead of those who have been scheduling in-store pickups and already have appointments.

In other words, it's a huge mess.

I hope you get your upgrade. But I would never recommend this program to anyone going forward.
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I understand your frustration. But after talking with Apple, I'm appeased. Yes they made a mistake Friday. But 36 hours later, they figured out there was a problem and fixed it. They basically gave me concierge service for being a prior upgrade program person. I'd compare this to when they release a new iOS. Even though they spend months figuring out the bugs, there are going to be ones they miss. That they could find this bug and fix it so quickly should gives us confidence that they are trying to do the right thing!
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MacRumors said:



While the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus became available for pre-order at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time this morning, some customers enrolled in the iPhone Upgrade Program were unable to select the model, carrier, color, or storage capacity they desired due to limited stock seemingly as soon as orders began.

iphone-7-box.jpg

MacRumors reader Pbrutto of Allentown, Pennsylvania said that there were no iPhones available for him to pre-order, while many other existing iPhone Upgrade Program members were unable to order the specific model they wanted from Apple retail stores in their local areas, even immediately at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time.MacRumors reader Markarian421 shared a similar experience:The underlying reason appears to be that iPhone Upgrade Program members were placed into a separate stream than regular pre-order customers, and forced to reserve a new iPhone from a local Apple retail store -- many of which were sold out. Some customers were not even able to access the reservation system at all, and instead received the following message just minutes after pre-orders began:Apple's iPhone Upgrade Program lets customers upgrade to a new iPhone after just six months, as long as they have made at least 12 payments towards their current smartphone and trade it in upon upgrading. The leasing program is financed through Citizens Bank in the United States.

Today's experience has left many iPhone Upgrade Program members frustrated, and questioning whether they will enroll in the program in the future. In the meantime, Apple's in-store pickup reservation system for regular customers resumes September 17 in the United States, and select other countries, or customers can attempt a walk-in purchase on a first come, first served basis.

Article Link: iPhone Upgrade Program Causes Headaches on Launch Day Due to Limited Stock
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MacRumors, please update this with what Apple is doing to ease the frustrations!
 
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Even though I'm new to the IUP this year, this isn't over until they come up with and are fully clear and public on how upgrades will occur with future releases. Customers deserve to know this before joining the program, especially since it's advertised as a way to upgrade every year. UPGRADE is literally in the name of the program. Yet, it seems doing such requires long phone calls with customer service. Apple's better than that.
 
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mhornback2 said:
I understand your frustration. But after talking with Apple, I'm appeased. Yes they made a mistake Friday. But 36 hours later, they figured out there was a problem and fixed it.
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Well, not quite. Yes they've figured out there was a problem, but they haven't fixed it yet. It looks like they're going to try, but all they've done so far is tell people to call.
 
mikes63737 said:
Why can't the upgrade process be done fully online? Mail me the new phone, and take the first payment. Simply keep billing me for the old phone each month until it's returned in a pre-paid envelope sent to me with my upgrade.

Seems like this process definitely could have been streamlined.
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lol so many iphones would be stolen this way
 
MacRumors, please update this with what Apple is doing to ease the frustrations!
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I don't think we fully know what they are doing yet but signs point to at least something

Also I checked stock this morning at my one local-ish store and where previously there had been no 7 plus available in the entire state, there is now one carrier model (AT&T) in black but sadly it is 32GB.
 
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There were issues when AT&T next came out as well. Some people (in NY I think) were not able to order through Apple using next. There is an issue, seems they are working on it, and there's still plenty of time before the 16th to get it figured out. I doubt we'll all get launch day phones but I'm ok with that. I'd just like a date so I know when to go.
 
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glad i came across the last few pages of this thread. gives me hope. i talked to someone but the IUP people werent in the office, so i need to call back later.
 
iPunish901 said:
glad i came across the last few pages of this thread. gives me hope. i talked to someone but the IUP people werent in the office, so i need to call back later.
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Ditto. I'll be calling in tomorrow AM when people are back open in California. As you say, there is still time to get phones to stores for Friday or next weekend for us. That would be a good answer.
 
This sounds promising. If I understand I need to call tomorrow and get in the IUP line.
 
Just remember if you buy your phone outright then you will be charged $40. A month instead of $15 for service! That's why I just paid my phone off and started with the next plan and I will sell my phone for more than the payoff a win win !
 
Mosi said:
I don't think we fully know what they are doing yet but signs point to at least something

Also I checked stock this morning at my one local-ish store and where previously there had been no 7 plus available in the entire state, there is now one carrier model (AT&T) in black but sadly it is 32GB.
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Well I do since I talked to them! Do I know WHEN exactly the phone will arrive? No but I'm supposed to get an update in the next day.
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jeremyisweary said:
Even though I'm new to the IUP this year, this isn't over until they come up with and are fully clear and public on how upgrades will occur with future releases. Customers deserve to know this before joining the program, especially since it's advertised as a way to upgrade every year. UPGRADE is literally in the name of the program. Yet, it seems doing such requires long phone calls with customer service. Apple's better than that.
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My phone call was less than 10 minutes and I was calling for both mine and my wife's.
 
betsy51556 said:
Just remember if you buy your phone outright then you will be charged $40. A month instead of $15 for service! That's why I just paid my phone off and started with the next plan and I will sell my phone for more than the payoff a win win !
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That's on a old two year contract plan. Mobile Share is $15, if you bring your own phone or if your financing through Next.
 
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mhornback2 said:
Well I do since I talked to them! Do I know WHEN exactly the phone will arrive? No but I'm supposed to get an update in the next day.
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Exactly! At this point, all that has happened is that they've promised to try and do something. That's it. Your phone may arrive in November. You have no idea.

Of course, I'm sure now that someone high enough up the food chain is obviously made this an issue that Apple needs to solve you probably won't be waiting until November but the issue is not resolved.

There are an untold number of people in the IUP who tried to upgrade Friday morning and were denied. They haven't reached out to me. Had i seen that message (several times) on Friday morning and wasn't reading MR, how exactly would I know to call?

Until they do a full blown outreach and contact every IUP person and say, "Hey, if you tried to get a phone on Friday and were unable to, here's what you need to do . . . " then the problem is not solved.

By your standards if Citizen's Bank was overcharging IUP $10 a month, and you called them and they said, "Ooops, you're right we messed up, we'll see what we can do," you would consider that case closed? Or do you consider it case closed when they agree to help ONLY the people who heard that if you call up Citizen's Bank they'll help?

No, they need to make good on what they promised and telling you to call an 800 number and being in limbo as to when you'll get your phone is not a solved problem.

mhornback2 said:
My phone call was less than 10 minutes and I was calling for both mine and my wife's.
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And several people reported being on the phone for hours. I'm happy you are satisfied and that your phone call was 10 minutes. But now that everybody else in the IUP knows about it, will the calls be 10 minutes?

Also, given how monumental of a screw up that this was, the fact that the team taking phone calls for IUP people took the weekend off says a lot about how they intend on dealing with the problem.

I work in an industry where we deal with tons of online users and if something messes up on the weekend we don't tell them we'll deal with them on Monday. The whole team works all weekend until the problem is resolved and we've communicated with every user to let them know what happened, how we fixed it, and how we'll be making them whole.

The fact that Apple, a company many, many, many magnitudes larger than my own sends their reps home for the weekend rather than dealing with this problem says a lot about how much they value people in the IUP program.

What's even more annoying is that they're telling people to call 1-800-MY-APPLE on the website now but if you call you get a regular support rep who then says that the people handling IUP are not in until Monday. What the heck is that? Why tell people to contact you on the weekend if there's nobody there to help them?
 
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At least Apple is attempting to make things right for those who are a part of the IUP. I called this morning and boy was there a long wait time (45 mins to be exact) to get to a person in the IUP department. When I was able to get through, the representative asked me which iPhone I wanted to upgrade to and a second choice if my first choice was not available. I do not think the IUP people are taking the weekend off - the person I called gave me their contact details and apparently they have people working this weekend. For those who couldn't get a jet black or black iPhone, give them a call at 1-800-MYAPPLE and give them a chance to fix your problem. At the end of the call, the person told me that I will be receiving a call back from them in 2 days to tell me what my options are - I don't care if I have the phone on launch day, but hopefully, I don't have to wait until November to get my phone.
 
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I'm confused by some of the outrage here. It's an issue that Apple has acknowledged and is attempting to remedy. Apple hasn't been my favorite company of late but what else can we expect from them at this moment 2 days after preorder day? I'm not saying the issue is resolved but hoping that my name is on a list somewhere and will hopefully be helped with my situation is enough for now. I'm sure they will communicate to all on the IUP once they deal with all of us squeaky wheels, or at least I hope they will do that for everybody else.
 
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On the phone right now. My phone was swapped under Apple Care due to it not charging so they can't seem to find my information to transfer me to the IUP team and make it a smooth call transfer.

I'll update this thread as soon as I get some information.
 
Well I'm glad for those of you in US seem to be making some progress. In the Uk where the programme just started its a different story. Called Apple and everyone is clueless as to how the IUP things work. We still have the standard check back again on the 17th Sept from 6am to see if there is stock.

I pointed out to them that in the US that the message has been taken down and people are being advised to call up to see what can be done.

You could argue that cos the IUP has only started in the UK they don't owe their customers that sort of commitment.

On another note people over here have started to catch on that if you want to reserve an iPhone and pay in store best way is via the IUP. So people are now reserving iPhones via the IUP link and going to to pick up on launch day and paying outright.

Apple has already said there is nothing to stop people who have 'changed their mind' and allowing them to pay the full amount on day one
 
JSway said:
On the phone right now. My phone was swapped under Apple Care due to it not charging so they can't seem to find my information to transfer me to the IUP team and make it a smooth call transfer.

I'll update this thread as soon as I get some information.
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Thanks, waiting to see what happens
 
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